In Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf, Zen Poems of Ryokan I came across an entry titled My Precepts.

Zen Master Ryokan lists around forty points to remember about right speech. Such points as, not speak of things of which you have no knowledge and not to use sugary speech. The whole list contains good reminders, which I’ll be keeping in mind during this coming week.

When and if I have the time I’ll write down the list in instalments, for readers to contemplate each day.

Yesterday was vac consciousness raising and moving day, with the last one lugged up the lane and repositioned well after dark.

I oversee all of the vacuum cleaners in the monastery, a voluntary position I should add. It’s a fairly benign task, taken on face value, which involves keeping them in reasonable fettle and with adequate spare dust bags to hand. Occasionally, as happened yesterday, a number of the machines need to be re-deployed. This occurs for a number of complex and intimately interconnected reasons, often involving the humans who drive them.

Today I passed a vacuum cleaner outside of its cupboard with no sign of its hose and power head. A small wave of concern flushed over me. Just why is it out? What’s wrong with it? Where’s the rest of it? It just shows how involved one can become with these critters, or any other thing for that matter.

Returning to the corridor after the evening meal I was slightly bemused to find a note of explanation fixed to the lone machine. SPIDER INSIDE (Hopefully making its way out!) Thank you.

Coalclough is at the top of our valley. Once a thriving lead mining community now just a couple of houses. I’ve passed the way marker many times and then noticed today that somebody had laid it bare and scratched out the moss from the lettering. I’m not sure what the 6 (miles) indicates, perhaps it’s six miles from Allendale to Coalclough. Anyway, once again I’m reminded what an incredible location this is and how fortunate we are to be able to live here.

Looks like Coalclough was inhabited in the 1700’s, and Australia looked like a good alternative for at least part of this ancient family.